That's a sweet setup!

by Paul , Thursday, February 19, 2026, 16:03 (2 hours, 30 minutes ago) @ Creeker

It's a far cry from how I started reloading the 38 Spl. I started out with a Lee "whack-a-mole" Loader and a Lee hollowpoint mold for projectiles. I pan lubed the bullets with a home made concoction. I've no idea how many I cranked out on that setup before I managed to get an RCBS press and a Lee Speed-Die. Prior to that setup I'd run into issues with the ammo loaded as if it were fired brass from a loose chambered revolver it wouldn't chamber in a gun with tighter chambers as the Lee sizer only neck sized the brass. The Speed Die had a carbide sizing ring that gave better dimensions. I'd swap one loaded round for six empty brass. Ended up with a bunch of berdan primed cases. Take a tiny drill bit and carefully cut the base of the berdan anvil and a regular deprimer would kick the primer out like it were a boxer style. This would leave a triple touch hole. Seat a standard small pistol primer, use a light target charge of powder and those worked dandy. At one time I had about a box worth of different CBC 38 spl head stamps, at least I recall them as being all CBC. It might have been other brands also made their way into my collection. That all went down the river when we left the country. All these years later and I still load on a single stage press. I remember scheming for a way to pick up a Dillon so as to make faster production of ammo a reality, but never could find the funds. At current prices I find myself further away from the goal! Anyway, I've probably loaded more 38 Spl than all other calibers combined over the years. Even with 44 Spl and 45 Colt taking up loading time when up north, I find the good old 38 to be nice and easy on the components cost of shooting centerfire and it gets more bench time than the other two.